Peru




                                 Geography


Location:
     Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean between Chile
     and Ecuador
Map references:
     South America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
     1,285,220 sq km
land area:
     1.28 million sq km
comparative area:
     slightly smaller than Alaska
Land boundaries:
     total 6,940 km, Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km,
     Colombia 2,900 km, Ecuador 1,420 km
Coastline:
     2,414 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
     200 nm
International disputes:
     three sections of the boundary with Ecuador are in dispute
Climate:
     varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west
Terrain:
     western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center
     (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)
Natural resources:
     copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal,
     phosphate, potash
Land use:
arable land:
     3%
permanent crops:
     0%
meadows and pastures:
     21%
forest and woodland:
     55%
other:
     21%
Irrigated land:
     12,500 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
     deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; air
     pollution in Lima
natural hazards:
     subject to earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, mild volcanic activity




international agreements:
     party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
     Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
     Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling;
     signed, but not ratified - Tropical Timber
Note:
     shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with
     Bolivia


                                  People


Population:
     23,650,671 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     1.86% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     25.55 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     7 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     54.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     65.62 years
male:
     63.44 years
female:
     67.9 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     3.11 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
     Peruvian(s)
adjective:
     Peruvian
Ethnic divisions:
     Indian 45%, mestizo (mixed Indian and European ancestry) 37%, white
     15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%
Religions:
     Roman Catholic
Languages:
     Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara
Literacy:
     age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
     85%
male:
     92%
female:
     29%
Labor force:
     8 million (1992)




by occupation:
     government and other services 44%, agriculture 37%, industry 19% (1988
     est.)


                                Government


Names:
conventional long form:
     Republic of Peru
conventional short form:
local long form:
     Republica del Peru
local short form:
Digraph:
     PE
Type:
     republic
Capital:
     Lima
Administrative divisions:
     24 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1
     constitutional province* (provincia constitucional); Amazonas, Ancash,
     Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco, Huancavelica,
     Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Loreto, Madre de
     Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali
note:
     the 1979 Constitution and legislation enacted from 1987 to 1990
     mandate the creation of regions (regiones, singular - region) intended
     to function eventually as autonomous economic and administrative
     entities; so far, 12 regions have been constituted from 23 existing
     departments - Amazonas (from Loreto), Andres Avelino Caceres (from
     Huanuco, Pasco, Junin), Arequipa (from Arequipa), Chavin (from
     Ancash), Grau (from Tumbes, Piura), Inca (from Cusco, Madre de Dios,
     Apurimac), La Libertad (from La Libertad), Los Libertadores-Huari
     (from Ica, Ayacucho, Huancavelica), Mariategui (from Moquegua, Tacna,
     Puno), Nor Oriental del Maranon (from Lambayeque, Cajamarca,
     Amazonas), San Martin (from San Martin), Ucayali (from Ucayali);
     formation of another region has been delayed by the reluctance of the
     constitutional province of Callao to merge with the department of
     Lima. Because of inadequate funding from the central government and
     organizational and political difficulties, the regions have yet to
     assume major responsibilities. The 1993 Constitution maintains the
     regionalization process with some modifications that will limit the
     powers of the regional governments. The new constitution also
     reaffirms the roles of departmental and municipal governments.
Independence:
     28 July 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:
     Independence Day, 28 July (1821)
Constitution:
     31 December 1993




Legal system:
     based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
     jurisdiction
Suffrage:
     18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government:
     President Alberto Kenyo FUJIMORI Fujimori (since 28 July 1990);
     election last held on 10 June 1990 (next to be held NA April 1995);
     results - Alberto FUJIMORI 56.53%, Mario VARGAS Llosa 33.92%, other
     9.55%
cabinet:
     Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
note:
     Prime Minister Efrain GOLDENBERG Schreiber (since February 1994) does
     not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the
     president
Legislative branch:
     unicameral
Democratic Constituent Congress (CCD):
     elections last held 25 November 1992 (next to be held April 1995);
     seats - (80 total) New Majority/Change 90 44, Popular Christian Party
     8, Independent Moralization Front 7, Renewal 6, Movement of the
     Democratic Left 4, Democratic Coordinator 4, others 7; note - several
     major parties (American Popular Revolutionary Alliance, Popular
     Action) did not participate; with the next election the congress will
     be expanded to 100 seats
Judicial branch:
     Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia)
Political parties and leaders:
note:
     Peru's political party system has become fragmented in recent years
     with independent movements proliferating; key parties are listed
     New Majority/Change 90 (Cambio 90), Alberto FUJIMORI; Popular
     Christian Party (PPC), Luis BEDOYA Reyes; Popular Action Party (AP),
     Raul DIEZ CANSECO; American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA),
     Armando VILLANUEVA del CAMPO; Independent Moralizing Front (FIM),
     Fernando OLIVERA Vega; National Renewal, Rafael REY Rey; Democratic
     Coordinator, Jose BARBA Caballero; Democratic Left Movement, Henry
     PEASE; Solidarity and Democracy (SODE), Manuel MOREYRA; National Front
     of Workers and Peasants (FRENATRACA), Roger CACARES
Other political or pressure groups:
     leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path, Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso
     (imprisoned); Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, Nestor SERPA and
     Victor POLAY (imprisoned)
Member of:
     AG, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA,
     IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT,
     INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, NAM,
     OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG (suspended), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
     WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Ricardo LUNA Mendoza




chancery:
     1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone:
     (202) 833-9860 through 9869
FAX:
     (202) 659-8124
consulate(s) general:
     Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey),
     and San Francisco
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Alvin P. ADAMS, Jr.
embassy:
     corner of Avenida Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Avenida Espana, Lima
mailing address:
     P. O. Box 1991, Lima 1, Unit 3822, or APO AA 34031
telephone:
     [51] (14) 33-8000
FAX:
     [51] (14) 31-6682
Flag:
     three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red with
     the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features
     a shield bearing a llama, cinchona tree (the source of quinine), and a
     yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green
     wreath


                                  Economy


Overview:
     The Peruvian economy is becoming increasingly market oriented, with
     major privatizations scheduled for 1994 in the mining and
     telecommunications industries. In the 1980s the economy suffered from
     hyperinflation, declining per capita output, and mounting external
     debt. Peru was shut off from IMF and World Bank support in the
     mid-1980s because of its huge debt arrears. An austerity program
     implemented shortly after the FUJIMORI government took office in July
     1990 contributed to a third consecutive yearly contraction of economic
     activity, but the slide halted late that year, and output rose 2.4% in
     1991. After a burst of inflation as the austerity program eliminated
     government price subsidies, monthly price increases eased to the
     single-digit level and by December 1991 dropped to the lowest increase
     since mid-1987. Lima obtained a financial rescue package from
     multilateral lenders in September 1991, although it faced $14 billion
     in arrears on its external debt. By working with the IMF and World
     Bank on new financial conditions and arrangements, the government
     succeeded in ending its arrears by March 1993. In 1992, GDP fell by
     2.8%, in part because a warmer-than-usual El Nino current resulted in
     a 30% drop in the fish catch. In 1993 the economy rebounded as strong
     foreign investment helped push growth to 6%.
National product:
     GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $70 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
     6% (1993 est.)




National product per capita:
     $3,000 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     39% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate:
     15%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
     $2 billion
expenditures:
     $1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $300 million (1992
     est.)
Exports:
     $3.7 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
     copper, zinc, fishmeal, crude petroleum and byproducts, lead, refined
     silver, coffee, cotton
partners:
     US 25%, Japan 9%, Italy, Germany
Imports:
     $4.5 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
     machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum, iron and steel,
     chemicals, pharmaceuticals
partners:
     US 30%, Colombia, Argentina, Japan, Germany, Brazil
External debt:
     $22 billion (1993 est.)
Industrial production:
     growth rate -5% (1992 est.); accounts for 32% of GDP, including
     petroleum
Electricity:
capacity:
     5,042,000 kW
production:
     17.434 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
     760 kWh (1992)
Industries:
     mining of metals, petroleum, fishing, textiles, clothing, food
     processing, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding, metal
     fabrication
Agriculture:
     accounts for 13% of GDP, about 35% of labor force; commercial crops -
     coffee, cotton, sugarcane; other crops - rice, wheat, potatoes,
     plantains, coca; animal products - poultry, red meats, dairy, wool;
     not self-sufficient in grain or vegetable oil; fish catch of 6.9
     million metric tons (1990)
Illicit drugs:
     world's largest coca leaf producer with about 108,800 hectares under
     cultivation in 1993; source of supply for most of the world's coca
     paste and cocaine base; at least 85% of coca cultivation is for
     illicit production; most of cocaine base is shipped to Colombian drug
     dealers for processing into cocaine for the international drug market




Economic aid:
recipient:
     US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.7 billion; Western
     (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4.3
     billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $577 million
Currency:
     1 nuevo sol (S/.) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates:
     nuevo sol (S/.) per US$1 - 2.180 (January 1994), 1.988 (1993), 1.245
     (1992), 0.772 (1991), 0.187 (1990), 0.0027 (1989)
Fiscal year:
     calendar year


                              Communications


Railroads:
     1,801 km total; 1,501 km 1.435-meter gauge, 300 km 0.914-meter gauge
Highways:
total:
     69,942 km
paved:
     7,459 km
unpaved:
     improved earth 13,538 km; unimproved earth 48,945 km
Inland waterways:
     8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km Lago
     Titicaca
Pipelines:
     crude oil 800 km; natural gas and natural gas liquids 64 km
Ports:
     Callao, Ilo, Iquitos, Matarani, Talara
Merchant marine:
     17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 142,425 GRT/229,746 DWT, bulk 3,
     cargo 10, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1
note:
     in addition, 6 naval tankers and 1 naval cargo are sometimes used
     commercially
Airports:
total:
     252
usable:
     222
with permanent-surface runways:
     37
with runways over 3,659 m:
     2
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     24
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
     54
Telecommunications:
     fairly adequate for most requirements; nationwide microwave system;
     544,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 273 AM, no FM, 140 TV, 144
     shortwave; satellite earth stations - 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 12
     domestic






                              Defense Forces


Branches:
     Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru), Air Force
     (Fuerza Aerea del Peru), National Police
Manpower availability:
     males age 15-49 6,199,785; fit for military service 4,188,706; reach
     military age (20) annually 246,427 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
     exchange rate conversion - $500 million, about 2% of GDP (1991)